Action Fraud says that victims of this scam have lost a total of £200,000 to the fraudsters to date.

With that mind-blowing figure in mind, here’s what you need to know about real TV licence costs and how to keep yourself safe from scams.

(Picture: Getty Images/Caiaimage)

How to avoid TV licence email scams

According to Action Fraud, 200 crime reports were made to them regarding TV Licensing emails 2018, with victims reporting a collective loss of £233,455.

This new wave of phishing emails is part of an even bigger scheme, in which fraudsters are also ringing victims and claiming to be bank employees. That’s how they convincing their victims to hand over their money and personal information.

Within one or two weeks, the intended victim will get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the fraud department at their bank.

Ironic, huh?

These callers will then convince the victim that their bank account has been compromised, and that they need their bank information to transfer their money to a new ‘safe’ account.

A new scam has already taken £200,000 from victims (Picture: Towfiqu Photography/Getty Images/Moment RF)

You should never answer unsolicited emails about TV licencing, because the real TV licencing powers that be will never email you unprompted about a refund. Nor will they ever ask for your bank or personal information.

In addition to that, never assume that a phone call or email is legitimate. Even if a person knows a few of your personal details, like your name and address, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t calling for nefarious reasons.